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Zingales B, Macedo AM. Fifteen Years after the Definition of Trypanosoma cruzi DTUs: What Have We Learned? Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2339. [PMID: 38137940 PMCID: PMC10744745 DOI: 10.3390/life13122339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan causative of Chagas disease (ChD), exhibits striking genetic and phenotypic intraspecific diversity, along with ecoepidemiological complexity. Human-pathogen interactions lead to distinct clinical presentations of ChD. In 2009, an international consensus classified T. cruzi strains into six discrete typing units (DTUs), TcI to TcVI, later including TcBat, and proposed reproducible genotyping schemes for DTU identification. This article aims to review the impact of classifying T. cruzi strains into DTUs on our understanding of biological, ecoepidemiological, and pathogenic aspects of T. cruzi. We will explore the likely origin of DTUs and the intrinsic characteristics of each group of strains concerning genome organization, genomics, and susceptibility to drugs used in ChD treatment. We will also provide an overview of the association of DTUs with mammalian reservoirs, and summarize the geographic distribution, and the clinical implications, of prevalent specific DTUs in ChD patients. Throughout this review, we will emphasize the crucial roles of both parasite and human genetics in defining ChD pathogenesis and chemotherapy outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Zingales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Química, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Andréa M. Macedo
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil;
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Pessanha TS, Herrera HM, Jansen AM, Iñiguez AM. "Mi Casa, Tu Casa": the coati nest as a hub of Trypanosoma cruzi transmission in the southern Pantanal biome revealed by molecular blood meal source identification in triatomines. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:26. [PMID: 36691054 PMCID: PMC9872340 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05616-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The study of the ecology of Trypanosoma cruzi is challenging due to its extreme adaptive plasticity, resulting in the parasitism of hundreds of mammal species and dozens of triatomine species. The genetic analysis of blood meal sources (BMS) from the triatomine vector is an accurate and practical approach for gathering information on which wild mammal species participate in a local transmission network. South American coatis, Nasua nasua, act as important reservoir host species of T. cruzi in the Pantanal biome because of their high rate of infection and elevated parasitemia, with the main discrete typing unit (DTU) lineages (TcI and TcII). Moreover, the carnivore coati is the only mammal species to build high arboreal nests for breeding and resting that can be shared by various vertebrate and invertebrate species. Herein, we applied the sensitive and specific methodology of DNA barcoding and molecular cloning to study triatomines found in a coati nest to access the diversity of mammal species that explore this structure, and therefore, may be involved in the parasite transmission network. METHODS Twenty-three Triatoma sordida were collected in one coati's nest in the subregion of Nhecolândia, Pantanal. The DNA isolated from the gut of insects was subjected to BMS detection by PCR using universal primers that flank variable regions of the cytochrome b (cytb) and 12S rDNA mitochondrial genes from vertebrates. The Trypanosoma spp. diagnosis and DTU genotyping were based on an 18S rDNA molecular marker and also using new cytb gene primers designed in this study. Phylogenetic analyses and chord diagrams were constructed to visualize BMS haplotypes, DTU lineages detected on vectors, and their interconnections. RESULTS Twenty of 23 triatomines analyzed were PCR-positive (86.95%) showing lineages T. cruzi DTU TcI (n = 2), TcII (n = 6), and a predominance of TcI/TcII (n = 12) mixed infection. Intra-DTU diversity was observed mainly from different TcI haplotypes. Genetic analyses revealed that the southern anteater, Tamandua tetradactyla, was the unique species detected as the BMS of triatomines collected from the coati's nest. At least three different individuals of T. tetradactyla served as BMS of 21/23 bugs studied, as indicated by the cytb and 12S rDNA haplotypes identified. CONCLUSIONS The identification of multiple BMS, and importantly, different individuals of the same species, was achieved by the methodology applied. The study demonstrated that the southern anteaters can occupy the South American coati's nest, serving as the BMS of T. sordida specimens. Since anteaters have an individualist nonsocial behavior, the three individuals detected as BMS stayed at the coati's nest at different times, which added a temporal character to BMS detection. The TcI and TcII infection, and significantly, a predominance of TcI/TcII mixed infection profile with different TcI and TcII haplotypes was observed, due to the discriminatory capacity of the methodology applied. Tamandua tetradactyla, a host which has been little studied, may have an important role in the T. cruzi transmission in that Pantanal subregion. The data from the present study indicate the sharing of coatis' nests by other mammal species, expanding the possibilities for T. cruzi transmission in the canopy strata. We propose that coatis' nests can act as the true hubs of the T. cruzi transmission web in Pantanal, instead of the coatis themselves, as previously suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaíla Santos Pessanha
- grid.418068.30000 0001 0723 0931Laboratório de Biologia em Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro Brasil
| | - Heitor Miraglia Herrera
- grid.442132.20000 0001 2111 5825Laboratório de Biologia Parasitária, Universidade Católica Dom Bosco, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso Do Sul Brasil
| | - Ana Maria Jansen
- grid.418068.30000 0001 0723 0931Laboratório de Biologia em Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro Brasil
| | - Alena Mayo Iñiguez
- grid.418068.30000 0001 0723 0931Laboratório de Biologia em Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro Brasil
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Tibayrenc M, Ayala FJ. Microevolution and subspecific taxonomy of Trypanosoma cruzi. INFECTION, GENETICS AND EVOLUTION : JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2022; 103:105344. [PMID: 35926722 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2022.105344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, is a highly polymorphic species, subdivided into 6 main evolutionary lineages or near-clades (formerly discrete typing units or DTUs). An additional near-clade (TC-bat) has recently been evidenced. This pattern is considered to be the result of predominant clonal evolution (PCE). PCE is compatible with occasional mating/hybridization, which do not break the prevalent pattern of clonal evolution, the main trait of it being the presence of Multigene Bifurcating Trees (MGBTs) at all evolutionary levels ("clonal frame"). The development of highly resolutive genetic (microsatellites*) and genomic (sequencing and multi-single nucleotide polymorphism {SNP}* typing) markers shows that PCE also operates at a microevolutionary* level within each of the near-clades ("Russian doll pattern"), in spite of occasional meiosis and hybridization events. Within each near-clade, one can evidence widespread clonal multilocus genotypes*, linkage disequilibrium*, Multigene Bifurcating Trees and lesser near-clades. The within near-clade population structure is like a miniature picture of that of the whole species, suggesting gradual rather than saltatory evolution. Additional data are required to evaluate the stability of these lesser near-clades in the long run and to evaluate the need for an adequate nomenclature for this microevolutionary level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Tibayrenc
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, MIVEGEC (IRD 224-CNRS 5290-UM1-UM2), Institut de Recherche Pour le Développement, BP 6450134394 Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
| | - Francisco J Ayala
- Catedra Francisco Jose Ayala of Science, Technology, and Religion, University of Comillas, 28015 Madrid, Spain. 2 Locke Court, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
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Poncini CV, Benatar AF, Gomez KA, Rabinovich GA. Galectins in Chagas Disease: A Missing Link Between Trypanosoma cruzi Infection, Inflammation, and Tissue Damage. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:794765. [PMID: 35046919 PMCID: PMC8762303 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.794765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the protozoan parasite causative agent of Chagas disease, affects about seven million people worldwide, representing a major global public health concern with relevant socioeconomic consequences, particularly in developing countries. In this review, we discuss the multiple roles of galectins, a family of β-galactoside-binding proteins, in modulating both T. cruzi infection and immunoregulation. Specifically, we focus on galectin-driven circuits that link parasite invasion and inflammation and reprogram innate and adaptive immune responses. Understanding the dynamics of galectins and their β-galactoside-specific ligands during the pathogenesis of T. cruzi infection and elucidating their roles in immunoregulation, inflammation, and tissue damage offer new rational opportunities for treating this devastating neglected disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina V. Poncini
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular e Inmunopatología de Infecciones, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Medica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Alejandro F. Benatar
- Servicio de Citometría de Flujo, Instituto de Medicina Experimental (IMEX), Academia Nacional de Medicina, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karina A. Gomez
- Laboratorio de Biología e Inmunología de las Infecciones por Tripanosomátidos, Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriel A. Rabinovich
- Laboratorio de Glicomedicina, Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Lima-Cordón RA, Cahan SH, McCann C, Dorn PL, Justi SA, Rodas A, Monroy MC, Stevens L. Insights from a comprehensive study of Trypanosoma cruzi: A new mitochondrial clade restricted to North and Central America and genetic structure of TcI in the region. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0010043. [PMID: 34919556 PMCID: PMC8719664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 100 years since the first description of Chagas Disease and with over 29,000 new cases annually due to vector transmission (in 2010), American Trypanosomiasis remains a Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD). This study presents the most comprehensive Trypanosoma cruzi sampling in terms of geographic locations and triatomine species analyzed to date and includes both nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. This addresses the gap of information from North and Central America. We incorporate new and previously published DNA sequence data from two mitochondrial genes, Cytochrome oxidase II (COII) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1). These T. cruzi samples were collected over a broad geographic range including 111 parasite DNA samples extracted from triatomines newly collected across North and Central America, all of which were infected with T. cruzi in their natural environment. In addition, we present parasite reduced representation (Restriction site Associated DNA markers, RAD-tag) genomic nuclear data combined with the mitochondrial gene sequences for a subset of the triatomines (27 specimens) collected from Guatemala and El Salvador. Our mitochondrial phylogenetic reconstruction revealed two of the major mitochondrial lineages circulating across North and Central America, as well as the first ever mitochondrial data for TcBat from a triatomine collected in Central America. Our data also show that within mtTcIII, North and Central America represent an independent, distinct clade from South America, named here as mtTcIIINA-CA, geographically restricted to North and Central America. Lastly, the most frequent lineage detected across North and Central America, mtTcI, was also an independent, distinct clade from South America, noted as mtTcINA-CA. Furthermore, nuclear genome data based on Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) showed genetic structure of lineage TcI from specimens collected in Guatemala and El Salvador supporting the hypothesis that genetic diversity at a local scale has a geographical component. Our multiscale analysis contributes to the understanding of the independent and distinct evolution of T. cruzi lineages in North and Central America regions. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) represents socioeconomic burden in most countries of Latin America. Chagas disease, a NTD, is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The disease can be mild, causing swelling and fever, or it can be long-lasting. Left untreated, it often causes heart failure. This study focused on T. cruzi lineages, emphasizing the gap of information from Central America and complementing what is known in North America. Our diverse collection of kissing bugs from North America (United States and Mexico) and Central America identified two of the major mitochondrial lineages circulating in these regions, both representing distinct clades within the already established three clusters of the T. cruzi parasite (mtTcI-mtTcIII): mtTcINA-CA and mtTcIIINA-CA. At a local scale, population genetic structure of T. cruzi revealed that genetic diversity has a notable geographic component. The important insights into the genetic and evolutionary diversity of T. cruzi in North and Central America provide not only the necessity for referencing genomes to identify lineages but the basis to develop more precise and comprehensive diagnostic assays to better detect T. cruzi infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Helms Cahan
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Cai McCann
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Patricia L Dorn
- Department of Biological Sciences, Loyola University New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Silvia Andrade Justi
- The Walter Reed Biosystematics Unit, Smithsonian Institution Museum Support Center, Suitland, Maryland, United States of America.,Entomology Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America.,Smithsonian Institution-National Museum of Natural History, Department of Entomology, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Antonieta Rodas
- The Applied Entomology and Parasitology Laboratory, Biology School, Pharmacy Faculty, San Carlos University of Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - María Carlota Monroy
- The Applied Entomology and Parasitology Laboratory, Biology School, Pharmacy Faculty, San Carlos University of Guatemala, Guatemala City, Guatemala
| | - Lori Stevens
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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Tibayrenc M, Ayala FJ. Models in parasite and pathogen evolution: Genomic analysis reveals predominant clonality and progressive evolution at all evolutionary scales in parasitic protozoa, yeasts and bacteria. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2021; 111:75-117. [PMID: 33482977 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2020.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The predominant clonal evolution (PCE) model of pathogenic microorganisms postulates that the impact of genetic recombination in those pathogens' natural populations is not enough to erase a persistent phylogenetic signal at all evolutionary scales from microevolution till geological times in the whole ecogeographical range of the species considered. We have tested this model with a set of representative parasitic protozoa, yeasts and bacteria in the light of the most recent genomic data. All surveyed species, including those that were considered as highly recombining, exhibit similar PCE patterns above and under the species level, from macro- to micro-evolutionary scales (Russian doll pattern), suggesting gradual evolution. To our knowledge, it is the first time that such a strong common evolutionary feature among very diverse pathogens has been evidenced. The implications of this model for basic biology and applied research are exposed. These implications include our knowledge on the pathogens' reproductive mode, their population structure, the possibility to type strain and to follow up epidemics (molecular epidemiology) and to revisit pathogens' taxonomy through a flexible use of the phylogenetic species concept (Cracraft, 1983).
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel Tibayrenc
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle, MIVEGEC (IRD 224-CNRS 5290-UM1-UM2), Institut de recherche pour le développement, Montpellier Cedex 5, France.
| | - Francisco J Ayala
- Catedra Francisco Jose Ayala of Science, Technology, and Religion, University of Comillas, Madrid, Spain; 2 Locke Court, Irvine, CA, United States
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Schwabl P, Maiguashca Sánchez J, Costales JA, Ocaña-Mayorga S, Segovia M, Carrasco HJ, Hernández C, Ramírez JD, Lewis MD, Grijalva MJ, Llewellyn MS. Culture-free genome-wide locus sequence typing (GLST) provides new perspectives on Trypanosoma cruzi dispersal and infection complexity. PLoS Genet 2020; 16:e1009170. [PMID: 33326438 PMCID: PMC7743988 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of genetic polymorphism is a powerful tool for epidemiological surveillance and research. Powerful inference from pathogen genetic variation, however, is often restrained by limited access to representative target DNA, especially in the study of obligate parasitic species for which ex vivo culture is resource-intensive or bias-prone. Modern sequence capture methods enable pathogen genetic variation to be analyzed directly from host/vector material but are often too complex and expensive for resource-poor settings where infectious diseases prevail. This study proposes a simple, cost-effective 'genome-wide locus sequence typing' (GLST) tool based on massive parallel amplification of information hotspots throughout the target pathogen genome. The multiplexed polymerase chain reaction amplifies hundreds of different, user-defined genetic targets in a single reaction tube, and subsequent agarose gel-based clean-up and barcoding completes library preparation at under 4 USD per sample. Our study generates a flexible GLST primer panel design workflow for Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasitic agent of Chagas disease. We successfully apply our 203-target GLST panel to direct, culture-free metagenomic extracts from triatomine vectors containing a minimum of 3.69 pg/μl T. cruzi DNA and further elaborate on method performance by sequencing GLST libraries from T. cruzi reference clones representing discrete typing units (DTUs) TcI, TcIII, TcIV, TcV and TcVI. The 780 SNP sites we identify in the sample set repeatably distinguish parasites infecting sympatric vectors and detect correlations between genetic and geographic distances at regional (< 150 km) as well as continental scales. The markers also clearly separate TcI, TcIII, TcIV and TcV + TcVI and appear to distinguish multiclonal infections within TcI. We discuss the advantages, limitations and prospects of our method across a spectrum of epidemiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Schwabl
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Jalil Maiguashca Sánchez
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Jaime A. Costales
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Sofía Ocaña-Mayorga
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Maikell Segovia
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de Protozoarios, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Hernán J. Carrasco
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular de Protozoarios, Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Carolina Hernández
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Juan David Ramírez
- Grupo de Investigaciones Microbiológicas-UR (GIMUR), Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Michael D. Lewis
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mario J. Grijalva
- Centro de Investigación para la Salud en América Latina, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
- Infectious and Tropical Disease Institute, Biomedical Sciences Department, Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Ohio University, Athens, OH, United States of America
| | - Martin S. Llewellyn
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Human Chagas-Flow ATE-IgG1 for advanced universal and Trypanosoma cruzi Discrete Typing Units-specific serodiagnosis of Chagas disease. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13296. [PMID: 32764546 PMCID: PMC7414038 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-69921-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular and serological methods available for Discrete Typing Units (DTU)-specific diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi in chronic Chagas disease present limitations. The study evaluated the performance of Human Chagas-Flow ATE-IgG1 for universal and DTU-specific diagnosis of Chagas disease. A total of 102 sera from Chagas disease patients (CH) chronically infected with TcI, TcVI or TcII DTUs were tested for IgG1 reactivity to amastigote/(A), trypomastigote/(T) and epimastigote/(E) antigens along the titration curve (1:250-1:32,000). The results demonstrated that "AI 250/40%", "EVI 250/30%", "AII 250/40%", "TII 250/40%" and "EII 250/30%" have outstanding accuracy (100%) to segregate CH from non-infected controls. The attributes "TI 4,000/50%", "EI 2,000/50%", "AVI 8,000/60%" and "TVI 4,000/50%" were selected for DTU-specific serotyping of Chagas disease. The isolated use of "EI 2,000/50%" provided the highest co-positivity for TcI patients (91%). The combined decision tree algorithms using the pre-defined sets of attributes showed outstanding full accuracy (92% and 97%) to discriminate "TcI vs TcVI vs TcII" and "TcI vs TcII" prototypes, respectively. The elevated performance of Human Chagas-Flow ATE-IgG1 qualifies its use for universal and TcI/TcVI/TcII-specific diagnosis of Chagas disease. These findings further support the application of this method in epidemiological surveys, post-therapeutic monitoring and clinical outcome follow-ups for Chagas disease.
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Genomics and High-Resolution Typing Confirm Predominant Clonal Evolution Down to a Microevolutionary Scale in Trypanosoma cruzi. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9050356. [PMID: 32397142 PMCID: PMC7281314 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9050356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, is a paradigmatic case of the predominant clonal evolution (PCE) model, which states that the impact of genetic recombination in pathogens' natural populations is not sufficient to suppress a persistent phylogenetic signal at all evolutionary scales. In spite of indications for occasional recombination and meiosis, recent genomics and high-resolution typing data in T. cruzi reject the counterproposal that PCE does not operate at lower evolutionary scales, within the evolutionary units (=near-clades) that subdivide the species. Evolutionary patterns in the agent of Chagas disease at micro- and macroevolutionary scales are strikingly similar ("Russian doll pattern"), suggesting gradual, rather than saltatory evolution.
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Jansen AM, Xavier SCDC, Roque ALR. Landmarks of the Knowledge and Trypanosoma cruzi Biology in the Wild Environment. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:10. [PMID: 32117794 PMCID: PMC7016096 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are ancient parasitic eukaryotes that still maintain prokaryotic characteristics. Trypanosoma cruzi, a primarily wild mammal parasite, infected humans already long before European colonization of the Americas. T. cruzi heterogeneity remains an unsolved question, and until now, it has still not been possible to associate T. cruzi genotypes with any biological or epidemiological feature. One of the first biochemical attempts to cluster the T. cruzi subpopulations recognized three main subpopulations (zymodemes) that have been associated with the transmission cycles in the wild (Z1; Z3) and in the domestic environment (Z2). The description of wild mammal species harboring Z2 two decades later challenged this assemblage attempt. Currently, the genotypes of T. cruzi are assembled in seven discrete typing units (DTUs). The biology of T. cruzi still shows novelties such as the description of epimastigotes multiplying and differentiating to metacyclic trypomastigotes in the lumen of the scent glands of Didelphis spp. and the capacity of the true meiosis in parallel to clonal reproduction. The study of the transmission cycle among wild animals has broken paradigms and raised new questions: (i) the interaction of the T. cruzi DTUs with each of its mammalian host species displays peculiarities; (ii) the impact of mixed genotypes and species on the transmissibility of one or another species or on pathogenesis is still unknown; (iii) independent T. cruzi transmission cycles may occur in the same forest fragment; (iv) the capacity to act as a reservoir depends on the peculiarities of the host species and the parasite genotype; and (v) faunistic composition is a defining trait of the T. cruzi transmission cycle profile. The development of models of environmental variables that determine the spatial distribution of the elements that make up T. cruzi transmission by spatial analysis, followed by map algebra and networking, are the next steps toward interpreting and dealing with the new profile of Chagas disease with its many peculiarities. There is no way to solve this neglected disease once and for all if not through a multidisciplinary look that takes into account all kinds of human and animal activities in parallel to environmental variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Jansen
- Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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11
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Rusman F, Floridia-Yapur N, Ragone PG, Diosque P, Tomasini N. Evidence of hybridization, mitochondrial introgression and biparental inheritance of the kDNA minicircles in Trypanosoma cruzi I. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007770. [PMID: 32004318 PMCID: PMC7015434 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Genetic exchange in Trypanosoma cruzi is controversial not only in relation to its frequency, but also to its mechanism. Parasexual genetic exchange has been proposed based on laboratory hybrids, but population genomics strongly suggests meiosis in T. cruzi. In addition, mitochondrial introgression has been reported several times in natural isolates although its mechanism is not fully understood yet. Moreover, hybrid T. cruzi DTUs (TcV and TcVI) have inherited at least part of the kinetoplastic DNA (kDNA = mitochondrial DNA) from both parents. Methodology/Principal findings In order to address such topics, we sequenced and analyzed fourteen nuclear DNA fragments and three kDNA maxicircle genes in three TcI stocks which are natural clones potentially involved in events of genetic exchange. We also deep-sequenced (a total of 6,146,686 paired-end reads) the minicircle hypervariable region (mHVR) of the kDNA in such three strains. In addition, we analyzed the DNA content by flow cytometry to address cell ploidy. We observed that most polymorphic sites in nuclear loci showed a hybrid pattern in one cloned strain and the other two cloned strains were compatible as parental strains (or nearly related to the true parents). The three clones had almost the same ploidy and the DNA content was similar to the reference strain Sylvio (a nearly diploid strain). Despite maxicircle genes evolve faster than nuclear housekeeping ones, we detected no polymorphisms in the sequence of three maxicircle genes showing mito-nuclear discordance. Lastly, the hybrid stock shared 66% of its mHVR clusters with one putative parent and 47% with the other one; in contrast, the putative parental stocks shared less than 30% of the mHVR clusters between them. Conclusions/significance The results suggest a reductive division, a natural hybridization, biparental inheritance of the minicircles in the hybrid and maxicircle introgression. The models including such phenomena and explaining the relationships between these three clones are discussed. Chagas disease, an important public health problem in Latin America, is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Despite being a widely studied parasite, several questions on the biology of genetic exchange remain unanswered. Population genomic studies have inferred meiosis in T. cruzi, but this cellular division mechanism has not been observed in laboratory yet. In addition, previous results suggest that mitochondrial DNA (called kDNA) may be inherited from both parents in hybrids. Here, we analyzed a hybrid strain and its potential parents to address the mechanisms of genetic exchange at nuclear and mitochondrial levels. We observed that the hybrid strain had heterozygous patterns and DNA content compatible with a meiosis event. Also, we observed that the evolutionary histories of nuclear DNA and kDNA maxicircles were discordant and that the three strains shared identical DNA sequences. Mitochondrial introgression of maxicircle DNA from one genotype to another may explain this observation. In addition, we demonstrated that the hybrid strain shared kDNA minicircles with both parental strains. Our results suggest that hybridization implied meiosis and biparental inheritance of the kDNA. Further research is required to address such phenomena in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanny Rusman
- Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular (UEM), Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Noelia Floridia-Yapur
- Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular (UEM), Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Paula G. Ragone
- Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular (UEM), Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Patricio Diosque
- Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular (UEM), Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta, Salta, Argentina
| | - Nicolás Tomasini
- Unidad de Epidemiología Molecular (UEM), Instituto de Patología Experimental, Universidad Nacional de Salta-CONICET, Salta, Salta, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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Majeau A, Herrera C, Dumonteil E. An Improved Approach to Trypanosoma cruzi Molecular Genotyping by Next-Generation Sequencing of the Mini-exon Gene. Methods Mol Biol 2019; 1955:47-60. [PMID: 30868518 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-9148-8_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, is a protozoan parasite usually transmitted by triatomines. As the parasite can infect all mammals and the vectors can be found across a broad range of ecologies, transmission cycles are quite complex, and extensive genetic diversity exists within the parasite population. Seven main evolutionary lineages, named "discrete typing units," have been described, but a large amount of intra-lineage heterogeneity is also observed. To date, typing methods used to elucidate both inter-lineage and intra-lineage diversity have faced limitations, with some approaches unable to determine all levels of diversity and others requiring investigation of numerous markers and often the selective process of isolation of live parasites. Here, we present a method for parasite genotyping using next-generation sequencing of the mini-exon gene marker, to assign lineage and describe intra-lineage diversity directly from biological samples. This approach is sensitive enough to detect the presence of multiclonal infections and low-frequency parasite genotypes within this context, providing an unprecedented description of T. cruzi assemblages in hosts and vectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia Majeau
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Claudia Herrera
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
- Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
- Vector-Borne and Infectious Disease Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, USA.
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